Free The Dead Season by Franklin W. Dixon

a bath and fell asleep. You woke me up."
    "You've been here the whole time?"
    "Yes, Joe. Why?"
    He told her what he had seen, or thought he'd seen, at the pavilion.
    Heather said, "I know you don't want to hear this, but I've told you before. You saw my grandmother's ghost."
    "There are no such things as ghosts, Heather."
    "Have it your way. Any other questions?"
    Joe thought for a minute. "Yeah, one," he said. "Your father is Wiley Reed's son, right?"
    "That's right."
    "Then why don't you and your family own Runner's Harbor anymore?"
    Heather seemed upset by the question.
    "What's wrong?" asked Joe.
    "That - that's a touchy subject."
    "Why?"
    "Well, this all happened when I was a little girl. Obviously we did own Runner's Harbor, but my dad ran into some difficulty managing the place and had to take on a partner."
    "Who?"
    "Does it matter?"
    "It might."
    "Well, it was John Jamison."
    "Is he any relation to Brady Jamison?"
    "He's Brady's father. Why? Is that important?"
    "Heather, there's no way of knowing what's important right now." Joe paused a moment, thinking. He asked her, "What happened?"
    "You mean how did my folks lose Runner's Harbor?"
    Joe nodded.
    "Well," said Heather, "it's kind of a long story.
    ***
    Frank was still asleep when Joe got back to the hotel.
    Joe gave the mattress a couple of thumps and said, "Wake up, Frank. It's a beautiful morning and we've got work to do."
    It took a few seconds for Frank to clear his head. He stared at his brother as if Joe were insane.
    "What's with you?" asked Frank.
    "Nothing. Why? I feel great."
    Frank forced himself out of bed and began to dress. "Well, it's only eight o'clock, and you're acting kind of strange."
    "I've been with Heather."
    "This early?" said Frank, startled.
    "I couldn't sleep, so I went to her cottage and woke her up, and we walked along the beach and talked. She told me everything, Frank. I mean, I asked her questions and she answered them all. I believe her. I believe she's telling the truth when she says she doesn't know anything about what's been going on."
    Frank wasn't convinced, but he sensed that the worst thing he could do just then would be to suggest that to Joe. Instead he said, "That's great, Joe." Frank rubbed his eyes and stifled a yawn. "What did she tell you?"
    "Heather says her father had problems keeping Runner's Harbor open, so he got a partner," Joe began.
    "Who?"
    "John Jamison. Brady's father. Anyway," Joe continued, "Jamison handled the books and didn't pay any taxes. The government closed the place. Heather's parents were innocent of any crime, but they lost Runner's Harbor."
    Frank said, "What happened to Jamison?"
    "He died in prison."
    "I wonder why Tyler didn't buy the hotel then," wondered Frank. "It must have been available at a tax sale."
    "Maybe he didn't have the money," offered Joe.
    "Could be," said Frank, lost in thought.
    When Frank finished dressing, he and Joe knocked on Callie's door, and then the three of them headed to the dining room for nine o'clock breakfast. On their way they encountered Gary and Janet in the lobby, in a heated discussion with Theresa Farr, who was saying, "This is the last straw."
    "But you're not being fair," argued Janet.
    "How is it our fault?" demanded Gary.
    "Fault, I'm afraid, isn't the issue," said Farr. "Appearances are. A murder was committed here. I have no alternative but to revoke your license."
    "We'll fight you in court," said Gary.
    "That is your right."
    "When will you take our license?" asked Janet in a defeated voice.
    "I'll give you two days." With that, Theresa Farr was gone.
    "What will you do?" asked Callie.
    "We'll fight. We have no choice," said Janet. "Not that it matters much. We're down to our last customer."
    "What do you mean?" asked Frank.
    "Allistair Games checked out this morning," said Gary.
    "Where did he go?" asked Joe.
    Janet said, "He told me he was checking into the Tyler Inn."
    ***
    After breakfast Frank and Joe returned to the shed to search for clues.